It's officially official. The Knicks today announced the signing of guard Anthony Roberson to a one-year contract for the NBA minimum ($711,517) plus a team option for the second year.
Roberson is a 6-2, 195-pound guard who has a terrific shooting touch but hasn't been able to stick in three previous NBA stops with Memphis, Golden State and Denver. He spent the past season playing in Turkey and Israel but immediately impressed the Knick heirarchy with his shooting touch during summer league practices.
He averaged 14.8 points per game in the five-game summer league but shot just 38.9 percent from the field and, more notably, averaged just 0.8 assists per game.
The 25-year-old adds another needed shooter to the depth chart, which Donnie Walsh was hoping to add. To say he'll be a rotation player is a stretch at this point but it does create a little more competition for minutes in the Knicks backcourt, which already has Jamal Crawford, Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins and, yes, Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks now officially have 16 contracts, one greater than the NBA max and their league-leading payroll has once again eclipsed $100 million ($100,161,287).
Marbury ($21.9 million) and Malik Rose ($7.6 million) are veterans in the final year of their contracts, which could be bought out. Cheaper options could be to waive or trade Renaldo Balkman ($1.32 million) or Collins ($997,800), who face team options for the 2009-10 seasons.
* *
Just a quick programming reminder about our live chat scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) here at 11 a.m.
Comments (7)
Alen,
When will the Knicks rid themselves of Zach Randolph?
breaking it down
ok we hired donnie
donnie fired zeke
hired dantoni
signs duhon
then roberson
HERE WE GO
DID U KNOW ZEKE IS STILL UNDER CONTROL?
U DIDN'T RITE
WELL NOW U KNOW
THIS AINT NO JOKE
HIRE DANTONI A DUDE THAT WILL NEVER WIN A NBA CHIP NEVER
DANTONI WOULD MAKE A PERFECT RUCKER COACH NOT SAYING HE IS A BAD NBA COACH
SIGNS DUHON TO 20MILL 2 YEARS.LMAO
THEN ROBERSON.LMAO
WHERE THE D AT.LMAO
DONNIE STILL GOT TIME TO PROVE ME WRONG SO KEEP UP THE BAD WORK DONNIE/ZEKE
MY PREDICTION IF MARBURY IS ON THE TEAM AN PLAYZ THE WAY HE CAN PLAY THEY MIGHT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
WITHOUT STAR THE KNICKS WINNIN 10-30 GAMES...
stay tuned for more KnowLedge
Lack of knowledge is more fitting..
How is Zeke in control when most of the summer he's been in LA with his daughter? They guy is not even allowed around the summer league players who wont make the roster. Are you serious? Maybe not, cuz that would explain writing in all caps for 90% of your comment.
In terms of D, thats why we picked up Duhon, he's a SOLID defensive player. (that's the only nice thing i'll say about him)
Maybe I'm missing something here, but....isn't the idea to get under the cap and make a run at better players in a year or two? clearly the guys that have been on the books are a joke. so guys like roberson, or even duhon who is only getting a 2 year MLE, are more fiscally responsible options than the overpaid guys like marbury who aren't in the long term plans for the team anyway. keep mardy collins and balkman, what's the difference? you need filler and their salaries are minimal. marbury's a goner, either now or later, so why drag your feet donnie...and keep the value guys with something to prove coming...
Roberson can put up some points, and duhon can defend. This team needs to lose Marbury and the Heart Problem before it wins anything under D'Antoni. Also, they need to find out real quick if that fatboy power forward can run for the length of a game, because he has superstar talent and if he works with D'Antoni will be special again.
What is going on in New York basketball. They justed trade a good player in Balkman. An energy guy of the bench. I would have seen some buy else go. You don't trade energy guys that can give you good D when they come of the bench. I would have rather see that old man go (james). I would rather have youth than a very old veteran.
The nicks don't now what they are doing.
What is wrong with the Knicks....they need to get rid of Steph , just buy him out for like 12 or 13Mill and get rid of Malik Rose....Why is he making 7.5 mill for 3.5pts per game and 2 rebounds a game????...And that was a bad trade getting rid of Balkman for several reasons...(1) he would have fit into D'Antoni's style of run-n-gun basketball, (2) they only will save 1mill in the trade to get two scrubs if they cut them right away, if they keep them it will net out to savings of about 600thousand..which isn't that much money...(3) He is worth more than he was receiving in his contract...so there was barging room after the seaon opened...Also, they need to Keep Zach Randolph he averaging over 17pts and 10 rebounds...Where is Eddy Curry's production...he need to be gone....They need to hire Robert "the hitman" Horry to end his career..lol...I'm just playing...but he needs to be traded..all those changes I mentioned would give you enough changes to make significant improvements.